


Get Her Out of Your System?

by lisaof9



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Babyfic, F/F, spontaneous natural pregnancy between two women
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-25 18:59:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17126933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisaof9/pseuds/lisaof9
Summary: For fictorium, whose prompt read: Baby/kidfic - they're trying for a baby/signed up for adoption/found a lost alien baby in the alley/you pick the scenario. Already together or getting close while sharing new parent duties. DOMESTIC HARRIED PARENT CUTENESS PLEASE.Cat and Kara share one last night together before Cat dives, leading to unexpected consequences.





	Get Her Out of Your System?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fictorium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictorium/gifts).



Cat Grant stared at the tumbler in her hand. She had poured two fingers of her cherished 1964 Glenlivet. It was their Winchester Collection, a 50-Year-Old single malt Scotch whisky. 

It was supposed to be a private toast to her new venture, her mysterious dive.

She had left the whisky sitting on the counter for three hours. She had repeatedly approached it, and inhaled the rich fragrance that offered hints of vanilla, orange, pear and black cherry. Each time, she put it back down as she went over the carefully practiced speech she had given to Kara.

Kara. Kind, loyal, fierce, heroic, and oh, so beautiful Kara Danvers.

She had told Kara, “You’re standing on the shore afraid to dive into the new waters, and you’re afraid because you don’t want to say goodbye to the mild-mannered, lovelorn Kara Danvers. The sweet and delightful assistant to Cat Grant.” 

Cat had wanted the damn blonde hero to dive into her destiny and claim the career of her choice, but a smaller, hidden part of Cat had desperately hoped the younger woman would march across the room and dive into a kiss that had been threatening to erupt since Kara had earnestly won the job as her assistant.

Cat shook her head and placed the tumbler back on the counter and sighed. It would have meant disaster for them both, she tried to convince herself. 

Kara would forever be the reporter who slept with the boss to leap to the top of the ladder.

Cat would forever be the woman who threw her own morality out of the window to sleep with the assistant who was half her age.

Cat rolled her eyes and looked down at her blue dress. She had known Kara would be wearing some sand-colored cardigan. Cat always set a scene perfectly.

She stood in her vibrant blue dress and said, “The icy blue water, the fast-flowing river, or the choppy blue sea. And they all look very appealing to you because you’re dying to go for a swim.” Inside Cat had secretly begged Kara to look deeper, to realize that Kara’s meek assistant persona was the sand at the edge of Cat’s stormy sea, and all she had to do was dive into Cat’s waiting depths. But Kara hadn’t. And it sliced into Cat like the other cuts she bore each time she thought Kara returned her feelings only for the hero to continue being oblivious. It was killing Cat, and that was why the CEO was leaving her own company. Cat Grant wouldn’t be anyone’s puppy. She would not follow a cub reporter begging for scraps of her time.

Cat grabbed the tumbler and drank the whisky in a gulp, not bothering to savor it. She poured another glass and took a slow draw this time. She closed her eyes and felt tears threatening to fall. The taste was worth the outrageous cost. The small shot cost more than most of Cat’s employees paid for a month’s rent. It might as well have been paint thinner, because the only taste Cat wanted to savor was a pouty-lipped kiss from Kara Danvers. That was a flavor no amount of money could provide.

A knock on her very private front door startled Cat out of her morose thoughts. Cat would fire the entire security department because Cat Grant did not receive unannounced visitors. She stalked across the room, fully intending to use her pain to fuel a scathing dismissal of whoever dared to interrupt her sorrow.

She yanked open the door with a dozen insults battling to cross her lips and then promptly forgot them all.

Kara Danvers stood in the hallway in that damned beige sweater with her earnest eyes.

“You can’t tell me to dive and then just abandon your company, the…the employees, the paper, the city… and me.” Kara stood taller as a bit of Supergirl’s stance bled through. “I can’t stop you, I wouldn’t ever expect you to give up doing what you need to do be happy…”

Cat smirked. Even with the Supergirl stance, Kara was too adorable for Cat’s own good.

Kara marched into the penthouse and spun, waiting for Cat to follow. “So, you go off and dive if that’s what you need, but before you do, you need to know something.”

Cat closed the door and moved so she was face to face with Kara - the same minute amount of personal space between them they usually had. Cat folded her arms across her chest. “Please, continue.”

“I’m Supergirl,” Kara blurted.

Cat’s expression couldn’t look more bored if she yawned. “Oh, no, how shocking,” she said in a monotone manner. “But how can you be Supergirl when you wear glasses?” She added an exaggerated gasp and covered her mouth with one hand.

It was Kara’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yes, I knew you knew, but it’s important that I say the words.”

“Thank you,” Cat said sincerely.

Kara nodded. “Please, Cat, I don’t expect you to say anything in response to what I am about to say, and I don’t want you to feel obligated.”

“Color me vaguely intrigued,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “But I swear if you admit that Kryptonians are secretly reptiles or, god help us, Scientologists, I’m not sure my heart can take it.” She pressed her hand to her chest as Kara smirked. “Though, honestly, if you’re going to admit to being part golden retriever, I’m not even going to _try_ to pretend to be surprised.”

“Rao, I love you,” Kara said with a giggle, then her eyes widened. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat as she watched Cat’s expression freeze. “You can’t stand there and tell me to dive when you’re wearing a damned ocean colored dress!” She stepped closer until she shared Cat’s body heat.

Cat swallowed and then shivered at the emotion in Kara’s cobalt blue eyes.

Kara lowered her voice to a husky whisper. “I can’t have what I want. I know you could never love me. I’m nobody, I’m not fancy, and though I speak dozens of languages, I can’t figure out why in the world anyone needs three forks for dinner.”

Cat smirked.

“The thing is,” Kara whispered. “I’ve heard the way your heart speeds up when I bend to pick up something I’ve dropped, and I saw the way your eyes dilated when you saw me on ‘the day that we don’t mention’ when I came to work ‘dressed as an adult.’ I know you’re attracted to me.”

Cat’s smirk faded, but she nodded.

“This is me diving, Cat,” Kara whispered. “I love you. I know you don’t feel the same, but I cannot watch you leave without knowing…you.” She took a steadying breath. “Let me make love with you, Cat. I promise you, no one has ever touched you the way you deserve.”

“Kara, that… I could never do that to you. You deserve so much more than a one-night stand.” Even as Cat said the words, she cursed herself for her own cowardice. “I won’t use you like you’re some meaningless fling.”

Kara took Cat’s hands and cradled them gently. “It won’t be meaningless. We care about each other, despite you calling me Kiera for two years.” She smiled when Cat laughed. “You aren’t _in love_ with me, but I think you do love me, and that’s enough. I accept that. But, I promise you will feel my devotion to you.”

Cat cleared her throat again, and when she spoke it was in the same hushed tones Kara was using. “You make it very hard to say no.”

Kara leaned forward and whispered into Cat’s ear. “Then dive.”

Cat was too terrified to admit her feelings, but she could dive. She could have this one night and she could get Kara Danvers out of her system. She kissed the taller women with a slow intensity. She swallowed the shocked gasp Kara let out.

Their kisses were not awkward like most first kisses. They leaned into each other and traded off leading the kisses and they learned quickly. Cat wrapped her arms around Kara and with miniscule touches of pressure she guided Kara in a dance that started with Cat turning Kara. The dance continued as Cat steered Kara backwards, a tango that only went one direction. Hands removed clothing with the grace and flare of a cape being tossed aside during a Paso Doble. When Kara’s bare legs met the edge of Cat’s bed, Kara held Cat close and floated them to the center of the mattress.

Cat smiled into the kiss and whispered, “Show off.” 

The rest of the night was filled with passionate lovemaking. Cat might not admit the truth to Kara, but she wouldn’t lie to herself. She was desperately in love with Kara, and as much as she never wanted to let her go, Cat knew that Supergirl could never belong to one mere human. She was the world’s hero, and Cat wouldn’t be that selfish.

They were still awake and trading gentle kisses when the sun rose. Neither made any move to stop. Cat rolled Kara over and straddled her. Her kisses told Kara the depth of her love even if Cat couldn’t say the words.

Cat stretched out on top of Kara and worshiped the hero just as Kara had worshiped her. Cat looked into those cobalt eyes as she made love to Kara that final time. She let her touch convey what she felt, and she never broke their eye contact even as Kara’s climax pulled them both over the edge.

***

The beauty of Kara’s release haunted Cat as her jet headed into the horizon. No matter where Cat went, each night when she climbed into bed and closed her eyes, the ghost of Kara’s touch lingered. When Cat dreamed, it was of cobalt eyes looking up at her and of Kara’s voice full of passion whispering her name like a prayer.

The effects on Kara were more obvious. She could never regret making love to Cat, but the loss of the woman she loved wore on the hero. She didn’t sleep, didn’t laugh, and barely ate. Within two weeks, she looked pale but she dismissed her friends and even Alex when they asked what was going on.

By the time eight weeks passed, Kara was forcing herself to eat, but half the time she ended up sick to her stomach. One night, after a skirmish with several aliens, Kara and the DEO agents gathered in the mess hall for dinner. Halfway through her first pizza, Kara’s face went white and she disappeared in a blur.

Alex went after her sister and found her coming out of the women’s locker room drying her face with a towel. Alex demanded to know what was wrong. Kara pulled her into the training room and burst into tears.

Alex had held her sister through many heartbreaks, but this eclipsed them all. Kara’s sobbed attempts to explain were so mangled Alex had first thought Kara was speaking Kryptonian.

After several minutes, the only words Alex could make out were “Cat” and “gone.”

After twenty minutes, Kara had cried herself out. Alex lowered her sister to the floor and sat next to her. “Were you two dating?” she asked quietly.

Kara shook her head and burst into tears again.

Alex pulled her devastated sister into a hug. She squeezed as hard as she could, knowing that the pressure was comforting for her.

Kara brokenly whispered, “Th-th-thought I … c-could…  han-dle… it.”

Alex went rigid. “Handle what?”

Kara shook her head. “It… w-was… m-my …idea.”

Alex closed her eyes and sighed. “You slept with her?”

Kara nodded as her sobs began anew.

After another five minutes, Kara was shaking and was having difficulty getting a full breath. Alex wasn’t sure if Kara even knew where she was.

After twenty more minutes, Alex was considering giving her sister a sedative.

After another ten minutes, Alex activated her DEO earpiece to contact Vasquez.

Kara didn’t react when Vasquez came into the room. She didn’t even flinch when Vasquez used a kryptonite needle to administer the strongest sedative the DEO had. It took two minutes for Kara’s sobs to slow. The sobs only quieted thirty seconds after that when Kara’s body went limp.

It was Vasquez who suggested that they wait to go to sickbay. Instead, the two of them carried the Kryptonian’s limp body to the holographic chamber.

Once the Alura program was activated, the image of Kara’s mother moved forward. “Is Kara Zor El injured?” the program asked in a voice without emotion.

“She’s sedated,” Alex said. She cleared her throat. “She couldn’t stop crying. I haven’t seen her like this since the first few weeks after my parents took custody of her.”

Alura knelt and studied Kara. “What loss has she suffered?”

“A romantic one,” Alex whispered. “Please, tell us what to do.”

Vasquez stared at the hologram kneeling down in a flowing gown and was reminded of a favorite movie. She was so worried for Kara she didn’t even realize when she whispered, “Help me, Obi Wan,” but a quick poke by Alex’s elbow quieted her.

“I can perform a rudimentary scan of her.” Alura held her hand flat with her palm toward Kara’s supine form. After moving her hand over Kara’s head, and heart, she moved lower but stopped over Kara’s abdomen. “They were in love?”

“Just Kara.” Alex shook her head. “Kara loves the woman, but it wasn’t mutual.”

“You are wrong,” the hologram said. “Alura, the woman whose synaptic pathways I was patterned after, had a theory as to why our people required the birthing matrix. It was a decidedly superstitious belief, but given what I am seeing here, it would appear that there actually was an emotional and biochemical connection that the matrix bond pairings lacked.”

“What?” Alex furrowed her brow. “What do the Matrix bond pairings have to do with this?”

Alura met Alex’s eyes. “I have no doubt that had Kara been bonded by the Matrix, any physical coupling would have been unable to produce offspring.”

“So, the kids born from the Matrix are sterile?” Alex asked.

“No,” Alura corrected. “The logically-matched couples could not procreate.”

“Why?” Vasquez asked. She shrugged when Alex shot her an angry glare.

“Jor El and his wife Lara matched outside the Matrix.” Alura continued to move her hand over Kara. “They paired for love. It was condemned as superstitious nonsense, but it seems Kryptonian mating is accelerated by the limbic system. That is what allowed Lara to have the child Kal El.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “Is she pregnant?”

“Of course,” Alura said. “I thought that was obvious.”

“By a woman?” Alex asked in a high-pitched squeak. “How?”

“Gender is irrelevant. I can conclude from Alura’s theories that when the two participants share a bond on a deep emotional level, both women’s brains release peptide messengers. Those messengers travel to distant cells, and the cells are altered. Kara would have inhaled the signals of her partner’s peptides as well as hormonal signals and pheromones. Those combined chemicals would change Kara’s cells at a molecular level. Kara’s body would have gathered genetic material from her partner and then utilized her partner’s and her own cells to create a zygote.”

“Oh my god,” Alex interrupted. “You’re saying that Kara’s partner’s genetic material, which could be collected from even a single skin cell, would be enough to blend with Kara to create a child?”

Alura nodded. “If the cells were delivered in close proximity to Kara’s cervix, and if both partners shared a bond of love, then yes.”

“What kind of love?” Alex asked. “Say, if it were two friends sharing a sexual experience?” Alex wanted to make certain she understood the details because Kara was sure to ask.

“Romantic love,” Alura clarified. “A shared deep, mutual affection coupled with sexual attraction, I would theorize. It was called a Soul-bond in the ancient times. Matrix bonded pairs often had deep friendships, but romantic love was discouraged as outdated and illogical.”

Vasquez leaned closer. “So this could only happen if both partners were in love with the other?”

“That is what I just said,” Alura said.

Vasquez looked at Alex. “So… who’s the other mommy?”

“That’s Kara’s secret to tell,” Alex said quietly. She let out a long breath before looking at the Alura hologram. “Is Kara healthy?”

“Kara is under duress. The child has not been affected as of this time.” Alura moved closer to Alex. “Did something happen to her Soul-bond?”

Alex nodded. “She left.”

“Then you must retrieve her,” Alura insisted. “Her pheromones are required to balance Kara’s biochemistry. Without them, Kara will be plagued with nausea, vomiting, and if it continues, the child could be in jeopardy.”

“Shit,” Alex whispered. “How much longer is Kara going to sleep?”

“In her weakened condition?” Alura scanned Kara again. “I would say for another eight of your planet’s hours.”

“Right.” Alex nodded and then turned to Vasquez. “Not a word to anyone else. See if you can get a bed of some kind in here, but I don’t want anyone else except Hank in here until I get back.”

Vasquez nodded. “Where are you going?”

Alex exhaled angrily. “To find a yurt in a haystack.”

****

Cat sat in front of her yurt and stared across the vast green valley. She had run more than 7,500 miles to escape the feelings she had for Kara. Instead of forgetting Kara, the time for reflection had brought her love for Kara into painfully sharp focus. Unfortunately, knowing that Kara returned that love made the temptation to race back to National City a constant threat.

Cat closed her eyes and tried to meditate. She was sitting with her knees crossed and doing her best to empty her mind. The problem was, with all of the distractions of running a worldwide business out of her thoughts, her mind turned to replaying the deliciously enticing memories of her one night in Kara’s arms. Kara had promised to make Cat feel cherished and she had. Cat had never experienced such a connection with anyone, and the only thing stopping her from racing back into Kara’s arms was the knowledge that she wasn’t good enough for Kara. Cat was too cold, too mean, too old, and too complicated to shackle herself to Kara. It would destroy them both because Cat had no doubt if she pulled Kara down, Cat would never forgive herself.

Cat opened her eyes at the distant sound of a helicopter. She watched a tiny black speck on the horizon grow larger so quickly it surprised Cat enough that she stood and held her hand over her eyes to get a better look in the bright sun.

A minute later, Cat recognized it as a military craft. The silhouette told her it was an AH-64 Apache. She had been an embedded journalist years earlier. That experience allowed her to estimate that the gunship was pushing its engines to their maximum speed of just over 220 miles per hour.

She watched and was shocked when the gunship banked and swooped to a stop above the hilltop behind her yurt. Fear gripped her chest as she saw a black clad figure drop from a repelling line. As soon as the figure hit the ground, the soldier sprinted toward Cat.

Cat recognized the woman even before she yanked off her oversized helmet. “Agent Danvers? What’s wrong?” She rushed closer. “What’s happened to Kara?” she demanded even as the people in the distant yurts came out to watch the commotion.

“I need you to come with me,” Alex said. “Please.”

Cat nodded. “Let me get my satellite phone so I can contact Carter.” She spun and sprinted into her yurt.

Alex edged closer and she felt relief at Cat’s willingness to come at a moment’s notice.

“Is she okay?” Cat asked as she ran back toward Alex. The CEO had a small canvas bag that was clearly not haute couture.

“She… will be,” Alex answered. She gaped as Cat sprinted right passed her. “Hey!” she spun and ran after Cat.

“Come on!” Cat yelled. “If you came all this way in that, we must be on a tight schedule.” As she neared the hovering gunship she looked down and saw a harness on the ground next to a second line to the Apache. She stepped into it like she had done it a thousand times, snapped the carabiner firmly shut, and lifted her fist to signal an officer leaning out of the helicopter’s open door.

“How in the hell does she do that?” Alex grumbled as she hurried to get her own harness in place.

When Alex climbed into the helicopter, she laughed when she saw Cat seated and belted in place. The older woman had a headset on and was holding another out to Alex. Alex sat and secured herself before putting on the headset. “Let’s move out,” she ordered as soon as she keyed open her mic.

The gunship banked and then the engines whined as the rotors worked at full power. The forest below faded as the ship went higher. After mere seconds it was nothing more than a green blur.

Alex exhaled a long, slow breath as she gripped her seatbelts where they rested over her chest. Her head dropped backward until it hit the metal wall. She let her eyes close. She had thought it would be a challenge to convince Cat Grant to leave her self-imposed seclusion. Instead, the CEO had leaped into action at the mere thought of Kara needing her.

Cat rested her hand on Alex’s shoulder. When the red-haired agent opened her eyes, Cat keyed open her own mic. “What happened to her?” she asked.

“I can’t discuss it until we’re in a secure location,” Alex said. She rested her hand over Cat’s and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you. She… she needs you.”

Cat was never one to let go of a story without a fight. The idea of intel so secret it couldn’t be discussed in a military gunship would normally have had Cat champing at the bit to learn more. Knowing that whatever was going on was bad enough that a top-secret organization had sent the military to extract her was a sobering thought, but she wasn’t willing to put Kara at risk by asking questions over an unsecure line.

“Just tell me when you can,” Cat said. She leaned back and closed her eyes and waited for the terrifying flight to be over.

When they landed at a coastal air strip, Cat took Alex’s hand and hopped from the gunship, wincing when she saw an F-15A Eagle on a nearby runway. She knew the plane was one of the military’s fastest, with speeds exceeding 1800 miles per hour. What made her wince was the fact the plane had a range just over 2000 miles. That meant if they were headed back to National City, there would be at least three mid-air refuelings.

Alex seemed to read Cat’s mind. She tucked an arm under Cat’s elbow and guided her toward the Eagle. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “My agency has made some modifications. We won’t have to stop for refueling.”

“How could you possibly know I was thinking about that?” Cat whispered.

Alex chuckled. “I had an hour to read a dossier about you on my flight over.” When they reached the F-15A Eagle, Alex helped Cat step into her jumpsuit, then donned her own.

“I swore I’d never get into one of these death traps again,” Cat muttered as she climbed up the small ladder and then up the side of the plane. She picked up the helmet and was thrilled to see the agent hadn’t had it inscribed with some horrendous nickname. Once her helmet was on and her seatbelts secured, she flipped the toggle in front of her. “Is this a safe line?” she asked in a tone that made it quite clear she was in no mood to wait to hear what was going on with Kara.

“In a minute,” Alex said from the pilot’s seat.

“I hope to god you’re qualified to fly this thing,” Cat grumbled.

Alex laughed. She flicked the last of the switches before she spoke. “Sierra Romeo Tango One, requesting clearance for takeoff,” Alex said in a formal tone.

The radio tower had been holding all traffic and just waiting for Alex’s request. “Sierra Romeo Tango One, you are clear to go. The sky is clear all the way to your maximum deck.”

“Roger that, Tower. Be advised we will hit Three Zero Kilometers in two minutes. We will stay on our direct vector for the entire flight.”

“Understood, Sierra Romeo Tango One. Your deck is clear. Good luck.”

“Roger that,” Alex said. She flipped a switch so that she and Cat were now the only two on the system. “Miss Grant? I suggest you hang on.”

Cat was already braced, but the force of their takeoff was still a shock. It felt like they were on a rocket instead of a plane. Her head was pressed into the back of the seat and it was difficult to get a full breath.

“Close your eyes and focus on deep breaths,” Alex said. “This isn’t an ordinary plane.”

“No shit,” Cat ground out, but she did as she was told and was able to breathe a bit easier.

There was a static click and then Alex spoke. “Alpha Sierra Golf, this is Sierra Romeo Tango One. Do you have me on satellite tracking?”

Hank responded almost immediately. “Sierra Romeo Tango One, this is Alpha Sierra Golf. We have you. You are cleared to go to Tango Victor.”

“Copy that,” Alex said. “Going to Tango Victor in three, two, one.”

Cat gasped. The plane felt as if it was no longer moving, but one glance back towards the earth and she saw the continent of Asia drifting away behind them. “What the hell is this thing?” Cat asked.

“I’ll tell you after you sign about thirty NDAs.” Alex laughed when she heard Cat string together a colorful list of expletives. “Fine,” she said with a snort. “This appears to be a F-15A Eagle. In reality, it’s a modified space ship that can be altered to pass as just about anything. FYI - Tango Victor? That means top velocity.”

Cat felt nothing but relief. She hadn’t known how she would survive an 8,500-mile flight without going crazy with worry. “How long until we land?”

“Well, I left Kara’s side an hour and a half ago.” Alex adjusted the autopilot. “More than half that time was on the helicopters, so we’ll be there shortly.”

“Did she ask for me?” Cat asked in a whisper.

The was a long pause before Alex spoke. “She wasn’t conscious when I left, Miss Grant.”

“Is she okay?” Cat asked, though she was afraid of the answer she might receive.

“She will be,” Alex said firmly. She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Kara doesn’t know what I’m about to tell you. Once I get you there, I’ll tell her. She should be awake soon.”

“She’s safe?” Cat asked.

Alex smiled. “You sound like she’s a lot more than just an employee to you.”

“You know she is,” Cat said angrily. “Why doesn’t Kara know what you’re telling me? Shouldn’t she hear this first?”

“Normally, I would agree.” Alex let out a tiny growl. “Kara hasn’t been herself since you left. You leaving… it… broke her.”

Cat closed her eyes and sighed. “Leaving her broke me, Agent Danvers. But it was the only way I could protect Kara from me.”

“You’re both idiots,” Alex said. “Seriously. She hasn’t been sleeping, she barely eats, and she’s lost twelve pounds.”

“What?” Cat demanded. “She doesn’t have twelve ounces to spare.”

“I know that,” Alex said angrily. “I only got an actual weight today. I knew she was looking gaunt, but I didn’t realize how bad it was.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Cat asked.

“She bonded to you, Miss Grant,” Alex said sadly. “I think it was already in progress just working for you.”

“I see,” Cat said. “When she and I slept together, it just reinforced those feelings.”

“She’s in love with you,” Alex said. “And for her sake, I pray it’s mutual.”

“Well, of course it is! Only an imbecile could spend more than five minutes with her without falling a little in love with her.” Cat banged her fist against her leg. “I haven’t been able to think about anything but her since I left. I was supposed to go off to some damn yurt and contemplate my life, and all I could do was think about her stupid eyes and that damn smile, and the…” Cat’s voice broke. “…the way she whispered my name when we were making…”

“Whoa!” Alex interrupted. “That’s more than enough information.” She shuddered. “So, about the night you two spent together…” Alex cleared her throat. “See, Kryptonians haven’t married for love in over a thousand years. Superman’s parents were the first couple to do that since the birthing matrix began arranging marriages.”

“Thanks for the history lesson,” Cat said acidly, which Alex translated to ‘get to the damn point.’

“Anyway, since the matrix started picking marriages, the matrix also, ah… grew the children.” She coughed. “Kara came from a birthing matrix.”

“Is there a point anywhere within this plane’s vast range?” Cat asked.

“Yes.” Alex said. “Superman’s parents were able to conceive him naturally because they were in love. It seems that for a natural birth, the parents have to be in love, and their chemical reactions to each other trigger the creation of a child.”

“Okay,” Cat said angrily. “Will we be getting to the actual reason why Kara is currently unconscious?”

“Why, yes,” Alex said sarcastically. “Yes, we will. See, if one of the parents bolts like a frightened colt, the pregnant parent’s body still needs its partner, and if that goddamn partner is off in a _freaking yurt_ half way around the world hiding, the parent carrying the child gets sick. She can’t eat, can’t sleep, and if it continues, she won’t be able to sustain the damn pregnancy!”

Cat’s face went bone white.

Alex’s anger was clear in her tone. “So… pardon me, if I was trying to break it to you gently, Miss Grant,” she yelled. “My tactfulness is generally on the low end of the scale even on a good day. When my sister has to be sedated because she hasn’t slept in over a week, throws up when she CAN eat, and was sobbing hysterically for over an hour because she missed YOU so damned much, it strains my ability to get to the fucking point while still pretending to be tactful!”

Tears ran down Cat’s cheeks. She sniffled. “Can this damned plane or space ship or whatever the hell it is go any faster?”

“Yes,” Alex said indignantly. She pushed bright red button and the air around them seemed to stretch as they accelerated beyond any human technology. After a few seconds, she slammed on a set of hand brakes and the ship dropped out of its accelerated speed.  She keyed her radio. “Alpha Sierra Golf, this is Sierra Romeo Tango One. Do we have clearance for landing?”

“Sierra Romeo Tango One, this is Alpha Sierra Golf,” Hank said calmly. “You are go for landing. All air traffic has been rerouted out of your airspace from Hawaii to Colorado due to an unexpected solar flare. Sierra Romeo Tango One, transwarp was not authorized. Since you already did that, you might as well use the gravity break.”

“Roger that,” Alex said. She keyed in a few commands and then paused. “I’d hang on if I were you,” she said. “We’re going to drop like a rock, but don’t worry. The deceleration unit will bring us to a gentle landing.”

Cat was not amused. “When you say drop like a rock…”

The ship’s nose dipped and then then entire plane dove at top speed.

“Jesus Fucking Christ!” Cat yelled, watching everything on the ground seem to magnify. Seconds later, Cat saw the West Coast of the US, the mountains, cities, and then without so much as a sound, the ship settled onto a tarmac in the middle of a vast desert without even stirring a speck of dust.

Alex powered the ship down and let out an exhausted sigh. She watched as the DEO ground crew approached with wheel blocks and ladders for their exit. “This will all be part of the thirty NDAs you get to sign,” Alex said.

“Of course,” Cat said. “Now, I’d really like to go see Kara. Can you tell your minions to prioritize getting us the hell out of this death trap?”

“Yes, Miss Grant,” Alex said with a smile. “I think I’m beginning to see what Kara saw in you.”

“Well, keep your hands to yourself,” Cat said. “One pregnant Danvers is enough for this CEO.”

Alex laughed, feeling calmer than she had in weeks. If Cat was joking, she wasn’t likely to throw Kara and their child to the curb.

Cat climbed out of the plane backwards and maneuvered down the ladder wearing an oversized flight suit and still made it to the tarmac with the poise and grace of a model at fashion week.

Alex grumbled the entire time she scrambled down to the cement tarmac and she barely managed to not fall on her ass. When she turned and looked at Cat, she wondered if the woman had snuck makeup into the plane because Cat looked like she was ready to go on-air at CATCO.

“Well?” Cat asked.

“Follow me,” Alex stormed ahead of Cat and was irritated that the older woman matched her step for step.

***

Hank met them at the entrance to the underground bunker. “Miss Grant, thank you for coming,” he said gruffly. He looked like a war hardened commander, but he loved Alex and Kara like daughters.

“Just get me to Kara and I’ll sign whatever NDAs you have,” Cat said.

Hank smirked as he led the way to the holographic chamber.

“I don’t know how you people stay off the nightly news.” Cat’s anxiety level went up the closer they got to Kara. “Your grasp of the concept of ‘top secret’ is rudimentary at best.”

“This is us,” Alex said. She glanced at Hank and he shook his head. Alex turned back to Cat. “She’s not awake yet. I’m hoping your proximity will help her metabolize the sedative faster.”

Cat nodded, but her throat felt tight and she didn’t trust her voice to not crack.

Alex used a retinal scanner to activate the door. The small group hurried inside.

“Thank god,” Vasquez said. She was sitting next to the unconscious hero.

“Oh, Kara,” Cat whispered. She rushed to her side and took in the sight of the woman she loved. Kara’s normal golden skin was chalky white. Her face was unhealthily thin, and Cat’s hand shook when she ran her fingers across Kara’s cheek.

“Ma’am.” Vasquez stood and motioned to her chair.

Cat ignored the chair and bent down to press a lingering kiss to Kara’s temple. “Wake up, sleeping beauty,” she pleaded. She sniffled even as tears slid down her cheeks. “I missed you so much, Kara. They can’t even get a latte to my yurt. Every morning I wanted to call you for a delivery from Noonan’s.”

She sniffled again and pulled the chair closer and sat. “Oh, darling, I was a fool. Please wake up so I can tell you how much I love you.” She pressed her forehead head to Kara’s hand, which Cat gripped in both of her own.

Vasquez met Hank’s eye and after he nodded, she and Hank left the room.

Alex went to the closest wall and leaned against it. She watched the way Cat touched Kara. There was tenderness there that Alex had not expected.

“I’m here, darling,” Cat said brokenly. “I never should have left. Please, Kara. Please wake up,” she begged.

Kara’s breathing remained maddeningly slow and steady.

Cat turned toward Alex. “You said this whole thing is about chemicals and pheromones and closeness?”

“Yeah,” Alex said after she cleared her throat. Her cheeks were damp with her own tears.

Cat nodded. “All right then, get over here and help me scoot her over. I’m getting onto this germ-infested monstrosity you call a bed.”

Alex rushed forward. She reached to shut off the sunlamps above the bed but she froze when Cat spoke again.

“Don’t! I’m guessing these oversized tanning lights help Kara recover?”

“Yeah,” Alex said as the two women moved Kara to one side of the bed.

“Leave them on. If I end up with a sunburn, your mad scientists better have one hell of a medical plan.” She eased back a military-issue sheet and gracefully climbed onto the narrow bed next to Kara.

Alex glanced at a nearby panel with a set of green lights. “Actually, Kara’s cells are fully charged.” She turned off the sunlamps and moved closer.

Cat snuggled into Kara and tossed a leg over Kara’s hip. “I’m here,” she whispered. “I’m not going anywhere without you.” She rested her cheek on Kara’s chest and her hand settled over Kara’s belly. “I’m here for both of you.”

Kara inhaled deeply and let out a high-pitched sigh. She moved her arm so it was wrapped around Cat, and then tugged her closer. “Mmmss Caaa gonaway,” she muttered sleepily.

“I’m back,” Cat said gently. “Kara, open your eyes, darling.”

Kara groaned and shifted so she turned toward Cat and tangled their legs together. “Cat,” Kara whispered sadly.

“Kara, open your eyes,” Cat said forcefully.

“Yer so bossy ev’n when yer not here,” Kara mumbled as her eyes fluttered open. Kara’s entire body froze except for her eyes, which widened comically.

Cat’s smile was radiant. “There’s my girl.” She squeezed closer and pressed her lips to Kara’s, humming happily when Kara returned the kiss.

Alex cleared her throat when the kiss began to escalate. “Hello? Sister still in the room.”

Kara broke the kiss and only then glanced around and took in her surroundings. “What the hell?” She sat up, careful to gently guide Cat up with her. “Why am I under the sunlamps, and why are we in my mother’s chamber?” She looked at Cat. “How did you get here?”

Cat smirked. “Wakes up asking questions. I knew you’d be a great reporter.” She turned to Alex. “Well, Scully? I think this is your cue. Try to give her the news a bit more tactfully than you did me.”

Alex shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “This should come from you.” She met Cat’s eyes and nodded.

Cat turned to Kara. The Queen of All Media was suddenly as nervous as a cub reporter on her first interview. “I never should have run away,” she told Kara. “I thought I was protecting you, and I thought I knew what was best.” She rested a hand on Kara’s chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t respect your autonomy and I took away your right to choose.”

“Choose what?” Kara asked. Her eyes widened again. “What’s wrong? Your heart is racing.”

“Nothing is wrong,” Cat promised. “And I’m hoping you’ll agree that there’s a whole lot right.” She kissed Kara’s cheek. “I’m back, and I’m not leaving you again.”

“Are you saying…” Kara’s question trailed off. She was afraid to ask it, terrified she was misinterpreting the situation.

“I’m saying, on the night we shared, we were _both_ making love,” Cat whispered. “I was then and I am now in love with you. I have been for quite awhile.”

“And you’re back?” Kara asked hesitantly.

“I’m back for you,” Cat said. “For us.”

“Why now?” Kara looked around the room. “Alex? Exactly how sick am I?” She climbed from the bed scanned the room and turned back to Cat. “You were in Bhutan! The last thing I remember was throwing up and sobbing and slobbering all over Alex.”

“You’re fine.” Alex giggled. “You both are.” She smirked. “Or rather you all are.”

“All?” Kara asked, clearly confused.

Cat stood and moved to Kara’s side. “I was miserable in Bhutan. I would have been miserable anywhere without you.” She shook her head. “I thought if we had that one night, I would get you out of my system. All I did was prove to myself that I am madly in love with you, and I can’t even try to be selfless anymore. I thought I could give you up for your own good, but I can’t.”

“You love me?” Kara asked. “This isn’t because I’m sick and you’re just telling me what I want to hear?”

“You’re not sick,” Alex said with a snort.

Kara scoffed. “The super-powered vomiting begs to differ,” she insisted.

Cat pulled Kara into a hug which was happily returned. “How do you feel right now, darling?” Cat whispered.

Kara paused. “Um, better than I’ve felt since… well, since you left.”

Cat eased back just far enough so she could look into Kara’s eyes. “That proves two things, my love.” She lifted Kara’s hand and pressed a kiss to the younger woman’s index finger. “One, you are not sick.” She rested her hand on Kara’s belly. “And two, I am without a doubt in love with you.”

Alex snickered and came alongside the two women.

Kara looked between the two. “To quote my favorite character, ‘You all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs, did ya?’”

“A Buffy reference?” Alex shook her head. “Since Cat is having difficulty getting to the point, let me just say that your mother was correct. There is a biochemical factor that was ignored on Krypton for centuries, which is why the damn matrix was necessary.”

“What?” Kara asked. “That clears up absolutely nothing.”

“Let me try,” Cat said. “When we made love, my heart was just as devoted to you as yours was to me. I may not have been able to say the words, but my brain and body spoke to your body through pheromones and chemicals.”

“Peptides,” Alex added. “And proteins and neurochemicals.”

Cat flicked her wrist to silence Alex, never taking her eyes from Kara. “Your body recognized that I am in love with you, and because of that fact, your marvelous miracle of a body created a child with me.” She ran her hand through Kara’s hair. “Our child.”

Kara gasped. Her expression filled with equal parts fear and guilt.

“Shh,” Cat murmured. “I couldn’t be happier. And before you start thinking I’m only saying this _because_ of the baby, realize this, darling… there wouldn’t be a baby unless we were _both_ in love when we made love that night.”

Kara processed those words for a fraction of a second and then kissed Cat. It was a fierce, desperate kiss that expressed how much Kara had missed Cat, and how happy she was to share a child with Cat.

“And on that note, I will be leaving.” Alex left the room as quickly as humanly possible.

***

Cat Grant marched into CATCO the following morning. She strutted to her private elevator and ignored the shocked stares. Once her elevator reached the fortieth floor, she came out of the doors like a storm blowing through a tumbleweed laden valley. 

There were gasps and excited murmurs, and from the man sitting at Cat’s desk, there was shock.

“Miss Grant?” James Olsen stood and came around the desk. “I wasn’t expecting you in town.”

Cat lowered her sunglasses enough to shoot him one of her patented glares. “I wasn’t aware I needed your permission to come into my building to check on my company and my office.”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant…” James felt like tugging at his collar so he could breathe easier. Unfortunately, he was wearing a V-neck.

“Hmmpt,” Cat muttered. “I’ll be calling a meeting of the board.” She took off her glasses and tapped her lip with one of the arms. “I’ll need to take the helm back because there are some big changes ahead.” She pointed the arm of the glasses at him. “Don’t worry, you’ll still have a job. You’re an excellent art director.” Her eyes softened. “It was wrong of me to throw you into the deep end without a lifeguard.” She tossed her glasses on her desk even as James was grabbing his things off of it. “Never fear, CATCO will be under full steam soon enough.”

“What can I do?” James asked.

Cat smiled. “Well, Mr. Olsen, get that camera of yours tuned up. You are going to be shooting the cover story of my career.”

“Really?” James asked. His curiosity was now piqued. “Care to give me a tiny preview?”

Cat paused and studied him. “All right, James. I’m going to announce a merger of a kind.” Her smile was wicked. “A merger that involves the most amazing joint venture I could ever imagine.” She sighed and went to her chair and sat. She put her feet on her desk and smiled. “It’s going to be out of this world.”

“Ooookay,” he said slowly. He stood with all of his things from the desk in his arms. “I’ll be back in… my… office.” He slowly backed out of the room.

Cat surveyed her Queendom. “Miss Tessmacher!” she yelled.

“Yes, Miss Grant?” Miss Tessmacher asked as she scurried into the office.

“Call Canter’s Deli and tell them to have my order by 10:30 today.” Cat smiled as she thought of Kara’s appetites, for food and for Cat herself.

Miss Tessmacher wasn’t privy to Cat’s mental detour. “Do you have a standing order?”

Cat’s glare would have made a lesser woman flee. “Have them send two of the triple decker club sandwiches. Have the fries extra crispy with added cheese. They should also send two of the Pastrami Rubens but tell them to hold the sauerkraut and use coleslaw instead. Make sure they send potato salad with those.”

Cat frowned for a brief moment as Miss Tessmacher held her pen at the ready.

“And,” Cat said. “I’ll have the Matt’s special sandwich but hold the Russian dressing.” She stared at Miss Tessmacher, willing her to look up.

Miss Tessmacher read through the order but didn’t look up. “Should I email Miss Danvers to join you for lunch, or do you already have plans?” When she didn’t get an answer, she lifted her head and saw Cat studying her. “Miss Danvers hates the sauerkraut,” she said slowly.

“She does indeed,” Cat said with a smile. “I spoke with the architect who redesigned the art department this morning. He’ll be here within the hour. Make sure you send him right in.”

“And Miss Danvers?” Miss Tessmacher asked with a smile. “Should I send her an invitation to lunch?”

“I have no doubt Miss Danvers will follow her nose to my office before the food is unpacked,” Cat said wistfully.

Miss Tessmacher’s eyes widened.

Cat moved her feet from the desk and stood. “My balcony, now!” She stalked onto her balcony and cringed to see that James had put a foosball table where her couch used to be. She spun and faced her assistant. “Well?”

“Well, what?” Miss Tessmacher asked, though her hands were trembling.

“You know?” Cat asked. Her eyes narrowed and gave the assistant the same look she used to make senators sweat.

“I suspected,” Miss Tessmacher whispered. “But you can’t publish this! That girl is the sweetest person I’ve ever met.”

Cat sighed and considered the woman in front of her. “I never would.” She smiled. “Now, go get that order in so Miss Danvers doesn’t starve.”

As soon as Miss Tessmacher closed the door to the balcony Cat sighed. “Kara,” she called out in a loud, calm voice. “Could you please stop by my…” She spun when Supergirl landed with a whoosh.

“Are you okay?” Kara asked. She scanned the area for threats.

Cat smiled at the hero. “I was calling Kara, not Supergirl.”

Kara blushed. “Yeah, but it would not end well if I fly up here in my street clothes.”

“Ah, but if I ravage Supergirl on my balcony, what would the world say? They’d think I was cheating on my beautiful lover.” Cat moved closer and ran her hand along the cape.

“Maybe they’d think you were a modern woman into polyamory?” Kara asked sheepishly.

Cat let out a bark of laughter. “Darling, I am all for people finding their joy in whatever couplings work for them, but tell me…” She moved closer to Kara and leaned forward. “Do I strike you as the kind of woman that shares?” she whispered in her lover’s ear.

Kara let out a squeak. “Thank Rao, no.”

“Now, my architect will be here soon, and I have a meeting with the board this afternoon.” She smiled shyly as she looked into Kara’s cobalt eyes. “I don’t want you to feel neglected, so I’ve arranged to have a midmorning snack on the balcony with the mother of my child.” She poked Kara’s muscular bicep. “So scram before she gets jealous.”

“Yes, Miss Grant,” Kara said with a blinding Supergirl grin. She floated off of the balcony and the shot into the sky.

“10:30, don’t be late,” Cat said to the empty sky.

Once back in her office, Kara was trying to finish the story Snapper had given her. It was about a budget cut to the Rose Garden. She was angry because all of the funding went to supplies for the roses, since the staffing was comprised completely of volunteers.

Her door opened and she looked up with an absent smile. It faded when she saw James in the doorway. “Hey,” she said with forced enthusiasm.

“Guess who’s back?” he asked gloomily.

“She came back yesterday,” Kara said with a huge grin. “She’s going to make a few changes, and then, well, she has some other stuff to plan as well.”

“She’s not your problem anymore.” James scowled. “She didn’t even bother to warn me she was coming back.” He paced the small office. “It was embarrassing!”

“I don’t think she made many calls from Bhutan,” Kara said as she stood and leaned her hands onto her desk. “This wasn’t all about you, James.”

“I can’t believe you.” James laughed but there was no kindness in it. “She totally abandoned you to Snapper. Has she even called you once?” He shook his head. “Great mentor. I’ll bet she wouldn’t even take your calls right now.”

“In the office or at home?” Kara asked as she came around the desk.

“What?” James stared at her in shock. “Neither,” he said. “I mean, she has Tessmacher now, and that’s after I got her broken in!”

Kara’s stance straightened and she crossed her arms over her chest. James was too busy laughing at his own comment to notice that he was now talking to Supergirl. “Cat has proven her loyalty to me a dozen times over,” Kara said as she tried to contain her temper.

“Not to you. To Supergirl maybe.” James shook his head. “Besides, has she even seen you since she got back?”

Kara leaned against her desk and studied him. “Have you noticed that I’ve dropped a few pounds lately?”

James flashed her his most charming grin. “I did. Guess you’re getting ready to leap back into the dating pool?”

“Actually, I’ve been too sick to eat.” She shrugged. “I mean, you have to have noticed that haven’t eaten more than a few pieces of pizza at game night for weeks.”

“You were sick? I figured you were trying lose a few pounds to attract a new guy.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I figured it was Mike.”

“Ew!” Kara said, clearly offended. “I can’t decide which is worse - that you thought I have to ‘lose a few pounds’ to catch a guy, or that you thought I would date that troglodyte!”

James blushed. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “So, you’ve been sick? Is everything okay?”

“It is now.” Kara’s smile was resplendent. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I haven’t been able to sleep, and when I could eat, I felt like throwing up. I just got worse and worse, until it got so bad yesterday, Alex had to sedate me.”

“And she didn’t call me!” James clenched his fists.

“You couldn’t have done anything to help,” Kara said honestly.

“Well, I, well, I had the right to know,” he said lamely. He flinched. “Wow, that sounded way better in my head.” He met Kara’s eyes. “Sorry.” She nodded, so he continued. “So, how’d Alex get you better?”

“There wasn’t anything Alex could do,” Kara said. “If it had kept going, honestly, Alex said I wouldn’t have lasted the week.”

“Did you call Clark?” James sat on the small couch.

“I’m fine now,” Kara promised. “I got everything I needed.”

“Which was?” James asked.

“Cat,” Kara said with a beaming grin.

“Jesus, Kara. You’re delusional.” James shook his head. “You’re just a cover story. All you are is an in with Supergirl.”

“Enough!” Kara slammed her hand through the first five inches of the desk. She fought to control her breathing because she could feel her eyes heating up. “James, I was dying. Alex flew to Bhutan, and as soon as her boots hit the ground, Cat dropped everything and was on her way here to help.”

“I’m sure it will make a great cover story,” he said as he looked down at the floor. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Because Cat was the one I needed,” Kara said. She yanked her hand out of her desk and turned to face him. “I missed her so much, it was damaging me physically.”

James chuckled. “Watch it, Kara. Keep talking like that and people will start thinking you’ve got a crush on Miss grant.”

“I don’t have a crush,” Kara said calmly. “I’m in love with her. It’s mutual. And not remotely platonic, I might add.”

“She…?” James stood and rushed to Kara’s side and picked up her hands like she was a damsel in need of comfort. “Kara that’s sexual harassment. She talked you into this.”

“I was the one that made the first move,” Kara said coldly. “She wouldn’t ever come on to an employee. It had to be me.”

“Which she conveniently let you know,” James said. “So, when you said you almost died, you meant that you basically needed a booty call?” He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I bet she came running.”

“Get out.” Kara’s voice was low and dangerous. She pointed to the door.

“Okay, that was out of line. Sorry,” He moved to sit, but she yanked the couch and tossed it across the small office. His eyes widened. “Kara…”

“Get out.” She took off her glasses and tossed them aside. As soon as her eyes were uncovered, she pressed a hand over each eye. “Go!”

He backed away when she saw Kara’s hands glow red as she held back her own heat vision. He spun and rushed from the room, slamming the door on his way out.

Kara began to take deep calming breaths. When she had calmed enough so that her hands no longer glowed, she removed them from her eyes. She could still feel the heat of her anger. She picked up the phone on her desk but dropped it when she smelled burning plastic. She used a puff of freeze breath on her hands, picked up the phone again, and called Cat.

James was standing at Kara’s door about to knock when he heard a commotion behind him. He turned and saw Cat Grant sprinting down the hall in her four-inch Jimmy Choo’s.

“Get the hell out of my way,” Cat said as she went around him. “You’ve done enough,” she said as she went into the office and shut the door.

James stood motionless, staring at the door. He flinched when he heard Kara crying even through the wooden door. He couldn’t let his friend suffer, so he eased the door open and gaped at what he saw.

Cat Grant was sitting on the floor with her back to the door. Kara’s head was in her lap and Kara was sobbing. Cat was murmuring soft words. “It’s okay, darling,” she whispered as she combed her fingers through Kara’s hair.

“Meeting with… the …. Architect,” Kara sobbed out.

“I’d walk out of a meeting with Olivia Marsden if you needed me to hand you a tissue,” Cat said. She looked around the office. “Which seems to be missing.”

Kara laughed and burrowed closer to Cat. “Being…over…emotional,” Kara said a bit less frantically.

“No. You’re being emotional.” She bent forward ran her hand down Kara’s back. “It’s one of the billions of things that I love about you.”

Kara sighed and her entire body relaxed into Cat.

“Mr. Olsen, if you have any plans to keep your job, I suggest you make yourself scarce. And close the damn door.” Cat never stopped her gentle caress even as she put the fear of Grant into James.

The door clicked closed and Cat sighed. “Asshole.”

Kara giggled, but made no effort to move.

***

Cat went back to her meeting she had with the architect. They had a basic concept when he left to draw up a rough draft and a proposal.

At 10:25 Kara came into Cat’s office with a spring in her step. “I was promised delicious midmorning snacks,” she said as she sidled around Cat’s desk.

“Hmm,” Cat said with a feigned look of boredom. “You know, Carter is concerned that you might not be human.”

“What?” Kara knelt next to Cat. “What did he say? I thought he was glad we’re officially dating.”

“He is,” Cat said with a smile. “I’ve just been updating him on our day.” She raised one eyebrow. “I told him how excited you were for a pre-lunch snack.”

“And?” Kara asked in whisper.

Cat smiled and rested a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “And… he thinks you must be part Hobbit. Apparently our midmorning snack qualifies as ‘second breakfast,’ which is a Hobbit thing.”

Kara moaned and almost drooled. “I wish we ate like Hobbits,” she said wistfully. “They have seven scheduled meals. They start at seven in the morning, which is actually a little late for my taste, but they eat every two hours until eight at night.” She scowled.

Cat read Kara’s expression. “Which is obviously inadequate,” she said gravely. “We’ll figure out a way for you to have as many healthy meals as possible.”

Kara stood and leaned against Cat’s desk, smiling. “You don’t have to go to all that trouble.”

“Let me spoil you,” Cat said as she rested her palm on Kara’s belly. “Both of you.”

Kara’s smile was brighter than the rays of sunshine coming through the windows. “I like the sound of that.” She put her hand over Cat’s on her belly and sighed.

The sound of a throat clearing broke the spell the two were under.

Kara started to move her hand, but Cat squeezed their intertwined fingers and kept their hands right where they were. She looked over at the door and her eyes hardened. “Is there a reason you are interrupting me without an appointment?”

James stiffened. “Sorry, but I got used to this being my office. Since you left, I didn’t think you’d mind if I took care of the things you left behind.” His eyes locked on Kara.

Cat gave him a predatory smile and her hand stayed firmly in place on Kara’s toned stomach. “Just because I let you sit in the big chair in my absence doesn’t mean the office became yours. As for other issues,” she gave Kara an adoring look, then glared at James again. “People aren’t possessions.”

Kara sighed. “James, what did you need?”

James looked down at the papers in his left hand. “I have some papers for Kara and since she wasn’t in her office, I figured I’d find her with you.”

“For me?” Kara asked.

James tried make his smarmy smile look charming but failed. “Yeah, I was down on the third floor and saw a few pamphlets you might like to look over.”

Kara shifted her weight and stood. “The third floor? The third floor that is entirely occupied by Human Resources?” She looked at Cat and whispered. “I’ve got this.”

Cat stepped back and moved aside as Kara stalked toward James.

Kara took the papers as James started to speak but he smartly kept his mouth closed when she glared fiercely at him. Kara scanned each piece of paper and her anger grew. When she was done, she took all of them, except for one, and threw them into the trashcan. “I think I’ll go down to the third floor myself.”

James smirked triumphantly.

Cat looked like her Cheshire namesake.

Kara looked at her lover and winked. “Miss Grant, as head of the department, I should inform you that I’m going to file a harassment complaint against James Olsen. We had a brief romantic interaction that, frankly, never got past one date.” She ignored James and spoke only to Cat. “He has made repeated overtures toward a reconciliation, which I have rebuffed at every turn.”

“What?” James sputtered.

“That sounds serious, Miss Danvers. Especially since he was acting as a stand-in for the CEO.” Cat was losing her inner battle to avoid smiling.

“You’re dating Cat!” James said angrily. “She _is_ the freaking CEO!”

“Yes,” Cat and Kara agreed in unison.

“But…” James looked a kicked puppy.

“Since you were in HR already, you could have just looked up our relationship disclosure form,” Kara said with a fake smile.

“Yes,” Cat agreed. “It has an entire section on clarifying that both parties consent to the relationship, and another that outlines who will be in charge of Kara’s reviews, since it would be unseemly for me to be in charge of that.”

“Speaking of unseemly,” Kara said brightly. “Should I go fill out the harassment after the termination of a romantic relationship form, or are you going to stop being an idiot?”

James was dumbstruck. “Uh…”

“Oh, sandwiches!” Kara exclaimed excitedly. She rushed around James and out to Eve’s desk.

James wilted under Cat’s stare. He looked down at the floor and blushed.

“Consider this a verbal warning,” Cat said. “I will write up a memo regarding your continued interference with Kara’s personal choices and send it to HR.” She held up a single finger and silenced him. “I am also including a request that HR assign someone to monitor the situation, because when it comes to Kara’s happiness, I am not remotely objective.”

“Thank you,” James said quietly.

“This isn’t a fling, Mr. Olsen,” Cat said as she walked toward him. “If you think you’ll wait around until I break up with Kara and then make another move, you are wrong.”

His eyes met hers and it was clear that she’d hit the mark with her words.

“We’re done here.” She moved past him and as soon as she saw Kara she burst into laughter.

Kara had a section of club sandwich in her left hand, and half of a Rueben in her right. “These are amazing!” She gave Cat a dazzling smile. “You remembered I hate sauerkraut!”

Cat moved to the desk and shook her head. She held out a hand toward Miss Tessmacher and the assistant gave Cat a handful of napkins. “I should supply rubber ponchos for you to wear during meals, Danvers of the Long Cleeve.”

The skin around Kara’s eyes crinkled as she beamed. “I knew you were a secret nerd!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cat said as she wiped mayonnaise off Kara’s cheek. “I’m sure I heard it in one of Carter’s many overly CGIed films.”

“Pftb,” Kara scoffed. “You just pulled the name of one of the few mentioned female Hobbits from the books out of thin air and combined it with my surname.” She held up a finger. “And no, her name was not mentioned in any of the recent films.”

Cat blushed. She picked up a few fries and held them out. “Eat your second breakfast.”

Kara took the fries in one bite.

***

Carter arrived home at the penthouse by the time Cat finished her first day back. He threw his bags aside and sprinted to hug Cat.

“You’ve grown three inches,” Cat complained.

“You saw me last week,” he said with a Cat Grant smirk. He eased out of his mother’s arms and saw Kara standing nervously in the kitchen. “Kara!” he hurried over, but paused, not sure if he should hug her.

Kara pulled him closer. “Welcome home,” she whispered. Cat had already told Kara that Carter had come out of his shell during their world travels.

When they broke the hug, Carter looked back and forth between the two women. “Well?” he asked smugly.

“Well, what?” Cat asked suspiciously.

“Are you two finally dating?” Carter demanded.

Kara snorted. “He is your son, through and through.”

“Of course, he is,” Cat said as she smoothed her own collar. “He’s brilliant.”

“Yes, we are dating,” Kara said gently. “Are you okay with that?”

Carter nodded. “I figured you must be as soon as I saw mom.” He glanced at his mother, and then back to Kara. “She looks happy. She hasn’t really looked happy since we left National City.”

“I’m gonna’ hug you again,” Kara whispered. She pulled him closer and kissed the top of his head. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

Cat felt tears welling in her eyes as she watched Carter melt into Kara’s embrace.

When they broke the hug, Carter shook his head. “Of course, that means I have to take down all my Supergirl posters.”

“Why?” Kara said nervously.

He gave her the same look Cat did every time she had denied she was Supergirl. “It would be really creepy to have my mom’s girlfriend’s picture over my bed.”

Kara smiled. “Totally,” she agreed.

Carter’s eyes sparkled. “So, can you take me flying?”

Carter and Kara spun to face Cat.

“If Kara promises to not drop you, and that you’ll be back before dinner,” Cat said indulgently.

Kara laughed. “Like I’d miss a meal.” Her eyes widened, and she turned toward Carter. “Go get into your skiing clothes. It gets cold up there. I’m gonna’ grab a quick snack.”

“Awesome!” Carter jogged down the hallway.

“Bring your ski goggles and a thick ski mask!” Kara yelled. She used superspeed to rush to Cat’s side. “I love him so much,” she whispered. She kissed Cat’s cheek. “I promise, I’ll be careful.”

Cat nodded, but she was too overwhelmed to speak.

When Carter came back out he was wearing his snowboarding pants and a parka fit for the Antarctic. His smile was blinding.

Kara was talking into her Bluetooth. “Tell him thanks,” Kara said. There was a pause. “I know I’m being overprotective, but I’m not risking some villain of the week showing up. Tell him he can stay a safe distance away.”  She smiled. “I love you, too.” She tapped her Bluetooth and turned to Carter. “You ready, buddy?”

Carter nodded yanked his ski mask over his face and held up the goggles. “You got us a bodyguard? Is it the Martian Manhunter?”

Kara smirked. “It is.” She spun in a blur of motion and suddenly stood before him in her Supersuit.

Cat shook her head. “Your glasses, darling.” She took them off of Kara’s face and folded them carefully.

Kara gave Cat a chaste kiss. “We won’t be long.”

“Take your time,” Cat said. “I’ll order dinner. You can come back when you smell it.”

“Perfect.” Kara turned to Carter and then walked to the balcony. “You can stand on my feet and we’ll fly upright, or I can carry you under your legs,” she said. “The view is better if I carry you under your legs.”

“And it feels more secure,” Cat added.

“That sounds good,” Carter said nervously. He put on his googles and gasped when Kara picked him up under his legs. “This is so cool,” he whispered as Kara slowly lifted off of the balcony.

Cat watched them go and she felt like her own heart was flying. She heard Carter let out a whoop as Kara kicked up the speed, and then they disappeared into the clouds.

Cat had the table set and had just finished showing the delivery caterers from Osteria La Buca the door. She had ordered a dinner for 12, which would normally be impossible on such short notice. When Cat Grant personally called and spoke with the head chef, the impossible suddenly became possible.

She opened a nice wine and filled a glass for herself, and then poured a glass of cran-apple juice for Carter and Kara both. She was just about to call Kara’s cell phone when she heard the balcony door slide open. Carter’s laughter filled the room and when Kara giggled it was more beautiful than any symphony Cat had ever heard.

“Well?” Cat asked. “How was the flight?”

“It was so cool!” Carter said. “We went so high and did you know that Kara can emit heat?” he asked. Luckily, he was busy peeling off layers of clothing because Cat’s expression made it clear that she was more than aware that Kara put off heat.

“It’s something I’ve been working on,” Kara said with a shrug. “Carter was dressed warmly enough for the high altitude, but the air was too cold.” She blushed. “I used muted heated vision to create a warm space for Carter to look up at the stars without any light pollution.”

“And I saw the Martian Manhunter,” Carter said. “He came right up to us and he called me _Mister Grant_.” Carter waggled his eyebrows. “Did you know he can read minds?”

“Really?” Cat asked. “Has he ever considered a job in the news industry?”

Kara and Carter both laughed until they snorted, but it was Kara who answered. “He’s the one that impersonated me when ‘I’ brought you whole milk in your latte.”

“Mom, you terrified the Martian Manhunter!” Carter said with a giggle. “How cool is that?”

“What’s that smell?” asked Kara suddenly. “Meatballs and garlic bread!” She spun in a blur and was back in her street clothes before anyone could say a word. She raced to the table, piled three meatballs between two half loafs of bread, and made short work of it. “So good!”

“Tell me over dinner, sweetheart,” Cat said as she ran her fingers through Carter’s curls.

Dinner was a bit more relaxed than Cat was used to, but she loved every second of it. Carter and Kara regaled her with their adventures, and food was passed around the table. At one point, it was tossed over the table.

“She is not a golden retriever,” Cat said even though her smirk suggested she thought otherwise.

“One more,” Carter begged.

“Come on, Cat, it makes him happy,” Kara said with her best pout.

“Fine, just don’t come to me when he expects this every night.” Cat shrugged. She smiled as Carter used a spoon to launch a meatball over Kara’s head.

Never one to waste food, Kara darted upwards and caught the snack in her mouth with ease. She settled into her chair and wiped the corners of her mouth as if she were dining with royalty.

Cat was suddenly nervous. “Carter, sweetheart, given tonight’s excitement, this may be a formality, but would you mind if Kara moved in with us?”

“Are you kidding?” Carter asked. He stood and high-fived Kara over the table. “Can she move in tonight?”

“I’ll stay the night,” Kara said with a blush. “But it will take some time to arrange to move all my things.”

Carter smiled deviously. He leaned forward and loudly whispered. “Don’t forget your cardigans. Mom secretly loves them on you.”

“Why do I get the feeling I am suddenly outnumbered?” Cat asked. She knew she was, and she knew it would soon be three to one, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

***

Kara had one last Game Night at her apartment, which she was keeping as her artist’s studio. James had attended, but he left after less than half an hour. He had expected all of Kara’s friends to be on his side, to be outraged that Cat was using Kara. He hadn’t expected Alex, of all people, to greet Cat with a warm hug. He was floored when he watched Winn approach Cat and take her hand in both of his and thank the older woman for ‘being there for Kara.’

Seeing Cat relaxing at one end of the couch with Kara snuggled against her was bad enough. When Cat’s son climbed into Kara’s lap as if he’d been doing it since birth, James decided to go.

If he had been expecting someone to ask him to stay, he was sorely disappointed.  A chorus of “Drive safely!” and “Good night!” was the only response.

Had he stayed, he would have heard the announcement that Cat and Kara were expecting a baby together. He would have also seen Carter tell everyone “The pregnancy proves Kara and Mom are soulmates because only people really in love could get pregnant that way.”

***

Supergirl officially ‘left’ National City a month later. At just over three months into her pregnancy Kara and Cat decided it was too risky for her to keep up her Supergirl activities.

Supergirl stood in front of the room for a press conference. She waited at the podium until the cameras all had red lights signaling they were recording.

“Good morning,” Supergirl said to the gathered group. “I will not be taking any questions today, and for that I am sorry.”

She smiled into the cameras, but her eyes shined with tears. “National City was doing great long before I came along, but it has been my honor to help protect this magnificent city.” She took a deep breath and then found Cat’s eyes at the back of the room. “As you know, more and more refugees are coming to Earth. Some of them have suggested that there were survivors from my home world, Krypton.” That much was true. Kal El had gone back to the sight of Krypton’s destruction and found nothing, but he hadn’t checked any other planets.

“My cousin left Earth for several years to go to the site of Krypton’s demise.” She looked around at the stunned faces. The only sounds were the clicking of cameras and a few sniffles. “I need to be certain,” Supergirl said. “There are planets that my people used to travel to, whole systems that knew my people well. I went to twelve of them myself as a child. I have to know if any of my people survived.”

There were murmurs in the crowd.

Kara cleared her throat. “I have made arrangements for a friend of mine to keep an eye on National City in my absence. I have no doubt she can handle anything even better than I could.” She faced off stage and extended her hand.

The gathered group gasped as Wonder Woman walked out of the shadows and joined Kara at the podium.

Kara smiled at Diana and then leaned closer to the microphone. “National City, your new champion, Wonder Woman.” Kara stepped back so Diana could shine.

“Supergirl will always be National City’s hero,” Diana said smoothly. “It is an honor to watch over this city, this shining example of inclusivity. No other city has embraced the intergalactic refugees the way you have.” She looked at Kara. “I will take this mantle from Supergirl so that she can be assured that her family is safe and whole. There is no greater gift than to be asked to protect a friend’s family.” Diana looked over the crowd. “And National City, you are Supergirl’s family.” She smiled at Kara. “Supergirl has to take this time to make certain her original family is safe as well.”

Kara reached out and took Diana’s hand and the two bowed.

Diana glanced at the sky. “Race you to the coast?”

“That’s a sucker’s bet.” Kara crouched and met Diana’s eyes as she knelt as well. “On three? One, two…”

“Three!” Diana said with Kara and the two titans shot into the sky to a round of cheers and applause.

***

Kara waddled through the bullpen and into Cat’s new office. Gone were the floor to ceiling see-through walls. Instead there was a smaller glass portion that could be shaded to Cat’s choosing, whether that was clear like it had been all the way to an opaque white that obscured the private space from view. And all with the flick of a button.

Kara was at 46 weeks and felt like she was carrying a litter. Unfortunately, with Kara’s body in protective mode, her skin had become even more impenetrable, and none of the DEO scans could get a reading. She was so uncomfortable she was having trouble sleeping, but she didn’t want to worry anyone, so she didn’t mention it.

“Hey,” said Kara, greeting Cat with a sigh.

“Just in time for second breakfast,” Cat said with a grin. She stood and went to Kara’s side, taking her hand and leading her to a Scandinavian recliner that sat in front of a glass wall overlooking the balcony.

“Her heartbeat is really fast today,” Kara said with a groan. She settled into the recliner and sighed as she shifted onto one side, the only comfortable position she had left. “I don’t think she liked the spicy breakfast burrito I had today.”

“Maybe she takes after me,” Cat said. She knelt next to Kara and caressed her belly. “You’re going to have mommy’s taste for fine dining, aren’t you?” she said with her face next to Kara’s waist. “Oh!” Cat said. “She’s active today.” She smiled as she felt another kick.

“Feels like she’s flying loops in there,” Kara complained.

Cat reached up and ran her fingers through Kara’s silky hair. “You want a nap in the nursery?” 

“That sounds wonderful,” Kara said with her eyes closed. “Unfortunately, since I am off the reporting pool for the duration of your child’s occupancy, I have a few articles to edit.”

“My child?” Cat smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. “Why is she your child when everything is puppies and cinnamon rolls and my child when you throw up or get tired?”

Kara didn’t open her eyes. “Please don’t group puppies with cinnamon rolls. That sounds like the world’s grossest and most depressing dessert.”

Cat pressed a kiss to Kara’s temple. “You’re the one that made the ill-fated cinnamon and basil pot roast.”

Kara scrunched face up. “It was delicious,” she insisted. “At least the first bowl.”

“I’m sure it was,” Cat said. She stared at Kara, still in awe that they were now married and expecting a daughter. She moved lower and took off Kara’s shoes and then her socks. There was a small jar of foot lotion tucked behind the recliner and Cat quickly warmed it with her hands.

“Oh, that feels divine,” Kara whispered as soon as Cat began massaging one of her feet. She made little happy murmurs as Cat continued. 

By the time Cat finished with the other foot, Kara was sound asleep. Cat took a blanket out of a footstool with hidden storage and placed it over Kara’s lap.  She quietly washed her hands at the sink in the back of the room. There was now a door to the right of the panel of televisions behind her desk. The contractors had finished the renovations in three months.

There had once been a section of wall that swung open to reveal a huge ensuite, a bathroom with a Jacuzzi, and a walk-in closet the size of Kara’s old apartment. Now that door led to an open-plan nursery with a crib for the baby and a bed big enough for Cat and Kara both, as well as a play area for when the baby was older. There was also a small bathroom, a closet Kara insisted was ‘a more reasonable size,’ and a room for Carter to do homework or stay the night if necessary.

Cat sat at her desk and shut down her computer. She knew it was a waste of electricity. Unless there was a major crisis, there was no way Cat would choose to look over layouts when her stunning wife was sleeping right in front of her. Cat reached into her a drawer and took out her camera, tiptoeing closer.

She stood with the sun at her back and took photo after photo of Kara’s face, slightly rounder with the weight of pregnancy, but still just as captivating.

She moved so she could get a close up of Kara’s hand tucked between the buttons of her lemon-yellow sundress. Kara insisted on wearing clothes that gave her access to her skin. She said she didn’t want any more barriers to her child than necessary.

As Cat moved to get the angle of Kara’s belly into focus, she noticed that Kara’s belly button, formerly an innie, was well on its way to becoming an outie. She smiled. Carter had noticed it first, suggesting that it was like a pop-up turkey timer button and that when Kara had a full and official outie, the baby would be done.

A set of three gentle taps let Cat know her assistant was coming into the inner office. Cat stood and moved closer.

Miss Tessmacher smiled when she saw Kara. “Poor thing is exhausted,” she whispered.

Cat nodded. “Just wait until the baby gets here.” She stared at Kara a few more seconds and then whispered, “News?”

“The final edits are in from the art department, sports, and editorial.” Miss Tessmacher scowled. “Kara warned me she might need to go over them herself, and I think she was right.” She handed Cat a stack of layouts.

“What’s wrong with them?” Cat walked to her desk and put on a pair of glasses.

“No idea,” the assistant said with a shrug. “All I know is, something is off, and Kara always tells me to trust my gut.”

“That’s good advice.” Cat glanced at her wife and then back to the layouts. “Well, the color is all wrong.” She pointed to the photos that were all in shades of oranges and reds. “This is a somber piece about the discrimination against the alien refugees.” She shook her head. “Idiots. This entire thing should be in the blue or green palate. Who took these photos?” She pointed at the fall leaves that provided the backdrop. “See that?” she pointed at a fleck of blue sky.

“Yeah?” Miss Tessmacher asked.

“These were taken down by the shelter in the port area.” Cat shook her head. “They could have shifted this angle so the sky and the bleak bay with the rusting ships were in the background.” She handed it back to her assistant. “Tell Olsen to give his photographers a remedial class on colors.”

“Yes, Miss Grant,” she said.

“And Miss Tessmacher?” Cat whispered to avoid waking Kara. “You have good instincts. You just need to learn to recognize what is wrong.”

“Thank you.” Miss Tessmacher paused at the door. “Burgers for Kara’s elevenses?”

“That would be perfect.” Cat smiled fondly.

Everyone in the office knew of Kara’s insatiable appetite. The entire staff now used Hobbit designations for Kara’s many meals. There were now snacks every two hours for Kara, and they had been delegated as Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, Luncheon, Afternoon Tea, Dinner, and Supper. None of them knew that Kara also enjoyed Second Supper, Bedtime Snack, and Morning Snack while at home.

“Burgers,” Kara said with a squeak and she stretched her arms over her head and sat up. “Yum.”

Cat moved closer and straddled Kara’s legs. “Yum,” she agreed as she leaned down and kissed her wife.

Kara’s sexual appetite was as voracious as her need for extra calories.

Alex had been horrified to learn that the chemical messengers emitted during sex helped stabilize the pregnancy. She had drawn the short straw and had to explain to her baby sister and her sister-in-law that the two had to schedule time for sex two to three times a day for ‘optimal chemical balance.’

Kara was suddenly wide awake. She sat all the way up, bringing Cat with her. Kara’s hand gripped Cat’s backside. Her kisses became ravenous. “The remote?” she muttered between kisses.

Cat moaned but she pulled out a small remote that hung from a chain around her neck. She pressed the button and heard a loud clunk as the deadbolts engaged. “Bed now,” Cat ordered.

Kara laughed as she floated out of the chair without changing position. She spun so Cat could shove open the door and then Kara floated them to the bed. Kara shifted in midair so that Cat was beneath her before dropping to the mattress.

“You cheat,” Cat whispered. She felt Kara’s hands, then heard the zipper, and then Cat’s black pencil skirt was airborne, tossed across the room.

“Why, Miss Grant,” Kara said in a scandalized tone. “Commando?”

Cat’s laugh was smooth and rich, just the way she liked her coffee. “My wife keeps tearing them off. I haven’t had time to replace them.”

“Good,” Kara said as she took advantage of the access. She shifted her weight as she dragged her blunt fingernails from Cat’s knee to her hip. “I suggest you remove the blouse and bra before you run out of those, too,” Kara said between kisses to Cat’s throat.

“So bossy,” Cat was busy tugging Kara sundress up her lanky body.

“You like it when I’m bossy,” Kara said with a smug smirk. She sat up and peeled off her dress.

“Well, well, I’m not the only one going sans undergarments,” Cat said as her eyes mapped every curve of Kara’s body. Her hands always returned to the belly that held their child.

Kara’s pupils were dilated and she arched wantonly against Cat’s hips. “Cat, if you don’t move those hands south in the next three seconds, I will be starting without you.”

“Bossy and impatient,” Cat answered. “I see you _have_ been learning from me.” She moved her hands lower and watched Kara’s head loll backward as she moaned.

“Something like this?” Cat asked as she felt her lover’s heat. She shifted her angle. “Or this?”

Kara lifted her head and fell forward into a crashing kiss. Her hand shifted so she could give her wife the same joy.

“Oh,” Cat moaned, trying not to lose her own rhythm. “Jesus, Kara. You are the best multitasker in history.”

“Is that the way you like it, Miss Grant?” Kara whispered heatedly.

“Oh, Kiera, you know exactly what I like.” Cat felt Kara’s body tense. She knew what would send Kara over the edge. “That’s my good girl,” she whispered. She followed Kara over the precipice.

Cat had stepped out of the shower to get dressed, leaving Kara to enjoy the hot water. Cat knew if she stayed in there much longer, she would end up back in bed with her wife and have to shower yet again.

Kara was singing “Baby, Baby” as she brushed her teeth in the shower. The toothbrush made an excellent microphone and Kara was focused on that when she felt a stab of pain that felt like she’d been impaled with a Kryptonite sword. She dropped her toothbrush and pressed a hand to the side of the shower. 

She looked down, expecting to see a river of blood, but the clear water seemed to mock her. She turned off the shower and gingerly dried off. She figured it was the Kryptonian version of a Braxton Hicks contraction that many human women had as they got closer to their due date.

She had just stepped into a sky-blue sundress when the feeling hit again, but this time much worse. She dropped to one knee and groaned. “Cat?” she called out, only to realize that Cat must have already returned to her office.

Kara stood on shaking legs and used to the wall to balance herself. She tried to float into the air but that caused an even worse explosion of pain. This one sent her to both knees and she rested her weight on both palms. “Cat!” she screamed.

Cat was at her desk, humming as she went through the fixes to the layouts she’d sent back. She wasn’t sure if the layouts were actually better, or if ravishing Kara had just improved her mood. She smiled, too happy to honestly care. Her good mood evaporated when she heard Kara scream her name. Cat grabbed her cell phone and rushed back into the secluded section of her office.

“Kara?” Cat rushed to her wife and rested a hand on her back.

“Get Alex,” Kara said between clenched teeth.

Cat dialed with shaking fingers.

“Fuck!” Kara whimpered as another pain ripped through her. Her elbows buckled, and she dropped her forehead to the floor. She shifted and dropped onto her side.

“Hey, Cat,” Alex said.

“We need medivac, now.” Cat sounded dead calm. “CATCO Tower, in the nursery.

Kara let out a guttural howl. “Alex, something is very wrong.” Kara was already in tears. This was more painful than Kryptonite and she had felt never more terrified.

“I’ll be in the air in two minutes,” Alex swore.

Kara tried to float back to her feet, but the next pain hit, and all Kara could do was take a drawn out, raspy inhale and her body bent backwards like a deadly hunter’s bow. When the pain finally stopped, she groaned and curled forward around her belly.

“Alex, use the plane you took to Bhutan,” Cat said grimly.

“I will,” Alex said as she ended the call.

“I’ll be right back, darling,” Cat whispered. She ran to the bed and came back. She tucked a pillow under Kara’s head and began gently feeling Kara’s belly. “Where does it hurt?”

“First it was my back and sides,” Kara said weakly. “I tried to float to my feet and it felt like every nerve was on fire.”

“Okay,” Cat ran her fingers through Kara’s hair. She kissed her forehead. “No powers, okay?”

Kara nodded.

“Hang on,” Cat dialed quickly. “Eve, I need you in the nursery. Hurry.”

Cat ran her hand over Kara’s hip. “I need you to roll over. I have to see what’s going on down there.” She kissed Kara’s forehead again. “Can you do that, darling?”

Kara nodded. “I can do it for her.” Kara took a deep breath and rolled onto her back. Her entire body trembled.

Cat lifted Kara’s dress. “It doesn’t look like your water has broken yet.” She put the bottom of the dress back in place as Eve Tessmacher slowly opened the door.

“Oh, my goodness. Should I call 911?” Miss Tessmacher asked.

Cat shook her head. “No, I’ve already called Kara’s doctor and there’s a helicopter on the way.”

Miss Tessmacher knelt next to Kara. “How long has she been shaking?”

“I had her roll onto her back and it started then,” Cat said. She held Kara’s hand and trying not to panic.

“Kara, can you move back to how you were before you were on your back?” Miss Tessmacher asked.

“Good idea,” Cat said. “Help me roll onto her side.”

The two were able to reposition Kara and the trembling stopped.

“Why did that work?” Cat demanded.

Miss Tessmacher shrugged. “I don’t know, but if she has a position of comfort, we should keep her in it.”

Kara’s breathing slowed. “It hurts less,” she whispered.

“That’s good, darling,” Cat said calmly, but her heart was hammering in her chest. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Kara asked. She focused on Cat. She could always tell if Cat was putting on a brave front by listening to her pulse. Before she even had a chance to pinpoint Cat’s pulse, another wave of pain hit. She curled around her belly and her entire body shook.

Cat’s face was pale. Kara’s symptoms looked more like seizures than contractions. She remembered when she’d had Carter and her doctor had been worried about high blood pressure. Cat tried to remember, and then she wished hadn’t. “Kara, did your… family have any history of high blood pressure?”

Kara focused on Cat, but her eyes went back to Miss Tessmacher.

Cat knew that Kara couldn’t talk in front of Miss Tessmacher. “Eve, go up to the helicopter pad. Take as many doorstops as you can find and make sure all the doors are open. Then wait for Dr. Danvers.”

“Got it!” Miss Tessmacher said. She ran out of the office at a sprint.

“Kara?” Cat asked. “Did your people have hypertension?”

“Our gravity was twenty percent stronger than Earth’s,” Kara said as she tried to slow her breathing. “We had to have higher blood pressure to sustain our circulation.”

“Did your people have any diseases of pregnancy like preeclampsia?” Cat asked gently.

“I don’t even know what that is,” Kara said. “Cat, there was only one natural child born in my lifetime. There’s no data for this.”

The door burst open and Alex came in followed by a DEO medical team with a compact litter.

“I’m here, Kara.” Alex knelt beside and her and ran her hand across Kara’s cheek. “What’s going on?”

“She’s in a great deal of pain,” Cat said rapidly. “It looked like she had a seizure, her body bent backwards, and she was convulsing.” She rested a hand on Kara’s leg. “She’s had a few painful waves, but I never saw her belly rise like mine did when I had contractions.”

“I was never unconscious.” Kara grunted as she tried to sit up. Her body stiffened, and she began to convulse again. “A-lex…”

Cat grabbed Alex. “Could this be some type of preeclampsia?”

Alex’s face went pale. “I don’t know.” She waved over the others. “Let’s get her back to base. Now!”

Kara was loaded into the wire litter. Cat had to sprint to keep up with the crew carrying Kara up the stairs. She jumped into the helicopter and knelt on the floor next to Kara, holding her hand.

The helicopter lifted off of the roof and then the engines roared as it rose into the sky. It kept rising even as it headed toward the desert base. Once they were above the cloud cover, the ship went silent and Cat looked out the window and saw the scenery warp. A split second later, they had touched down outside the DEO base.

Kara was taken off the ship and onto a gurney.  Cat was left to chase them as they slammed through door and after door until they rushed into the holographic suite, now equipped as a delivery room.

The Alura hologram was already running. She stood by as Alex attached Kara to the only monitors that would work on Kara since her increased density with the pregnancy: blood pressure, heart rate, and her oxygen saturation level.

“It’s too soon,” Kara said as they shifted her onto the table. She had been able to rest on her side, but as they transferred her, they put her in the traditional delivery position on her back. “No,” Kara cried. “Get me back on my side,” she begged even as her body began to shake.

The hologram moved closer. “She should not be on her back,” Alura said in a calm tone.

Alex rushed closer and repositioned her sister. Kara’s shaking slowed almost immediately.

Cat nodded. “She’s been sleeping on her side since she’s been pregnant.”

“Of course, she has,” Alura said. “The Kryptonian placenta attaches directly over the mother’s spine. If she were to be on her back during labor, the child’s umbilicus would be compressed which would deprive the child of oxygen and vital nutrients.”

Alex looked at the hologram. “Is there any way we can scan her? Since this began, her muscle and skin density has increased to the point that we can get any scans.”

“Alex,” Kara whispered weakly.

“I’m here,” Alex promised. She held Kara’s hand and leaned closer.

Kara shook her head. Her breathing was labored. “I tried… I tried to use my…pow-ers.” Her eyes fluttered.

“Just rest,” Alex said. “Save your strength.”

Kara shook her head. “Powers made me sick,” she insisted. “Now, they’re…gone.”

Cat’s eyes widened. “Alex, what if her powers are being prevented from activating?”

“Oh, my god,” Alex said. “Her body is preventing her powers from hurting the baby.”

Cat looked at the nearest person wearing a stethoscope. “Get a fucking ultrasound in here!”

There was a scramble, and while they waited, Cat leaned down and whispered to Kara to remind her of her breathing exercises.

Kara kept shaking her head. “Cat, it’s too soon. I have weeks to go. I can’t have her this early.” She groaned, and her belly seemed to lift as the contraction flexed all of her abdominal muscles.

“That has not been determined,” Alura said in her monotone voice. “Humans have a shorter gestation. There is no way to know for certain how long a half Human, half Kryptonian child would require.”

One of the medics rushed in with a fetal heart monitor, an ultrasound, and an EKG machine.

Alex cut off Kara’s dress and tried the ultrasound first. Unlike every other time she had tried, this time they could tell that the sensor was actually penetrating Kara’s skin and muscle. “There she is,” Alex said. She could make out the baby squirming. Alex smiled and squirted a huge amount of the gel onto Kara’s belly. “Sorry,” she said when Kara gasped. Alex smiled as she saw the baby seemed to reach past the sensor. “What the fuck!” Alex yelled when a second head bobbed into view, and then was gone.

“Alex?” Cat said in a panic.

“It’s nothing,” Alex said.

Cat’s glare was threatening imminent death.

“It’s nothing bad,” Alex corrected. “And I think it explains why things are a little early.”

“In-for-mation,” Cat demanded through gritted teeth.

“Surprise, you’re having twins.” Alex smiled. She watched as Cat’s face drained of color and she was honestly shocked the CEO remained standing.

Cat calmly held Kara’s hand and whispered. “It’s going to be fine, darling.”

Kara’s eyes were wide. “Twins?”

Cat smiled as she nodded. “Twins often come early,” Cat whispered. “They’re also smaller so they should be easier to deliver.”

Alex looked at Cat and her expression suggested she wanted to call Cat Grant a bald-faced liar. She did not. Instead, she noticed Kara’s preferred position, considered what the hologram and said, and turned to her nurse. “Dave, get me a freaking birthing chair.”

“I… I don’t know if we… have one,” Dave said slowly.

Alex smiled. “We have a ship that fly can anywhere in a matter of seconds. We have badges that give us carte blanche by using the words ‘It’s a matter of national security.’ Find me a fucking birthing chair, Dave, and go get it.”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am!” Dave saluted smartly, then turned and sprinted from the room.

“Let’s sit her up,” Alex said.

They assisted Kara and once she was actually sitting up and leaning forward, her color improved.

Twenty minutes later, after Kara had begun cursing in Kryptonian with every contraction, Dave and three DEO agents carried in a birthing chair. Cat supervised while they disinfected it.

It was another four hours before Kara actually started her hard labor and another two before the first baby crowned. Once she crowned, Alex swore the baby “used a burst superspeed to fly out of Kara’s va-jay-jay.”

Alex barely had time to catch her when she saw a tiny hand gipping the first baby’s left foot.

The second baby was holding her sister’s ankle, and she did not want to let go. This was problematic because birth canals were designed for tiny passengers to exit head first, followed by the shoulders. Arms were meant to stay tucked into the body.

Cat took her firstborn as she soon as Alex got the second baby to let go of her ankle, which was a battle in and of itself.

Alex insisted that the second child fought with super strength as Alex had to put her arm back inside and into position. Once Alex had the second child in position she also seemed to shoot out at superspeed, according to Alex. The second baby was as perfect as her twin. The only difference was that the second twin had a tiny tuft of stark white hair at one temple, mixed in with her otherwise blonde curls.

Cat, when asked, said her daughters came out in a dignified yet assertive manner.

Kara complained they came out entirely too slowly and that if they had loved her even the slightest bit, they would have simply flown out after the first contraction.

Every other person in the delivery room insisted on record that the babies came out at a perfectly normal human speed.

***

By the time Carter was brought to the DEO, Kara and Cat were in a room that Alex had prepared in advance. It was set up more like a room in a home, and it was painted in the same hues as the nursery in the penthouse. Alex had known Cat would never allow her child - now children - to stay in a military-issue bunker, no matter how much more technologically advanced.

Vasquez led Carter down the hall. She was smiling full bore as Carter bounced with excitement.

“Hurry up,” he pleaded. “Is the baby here? Can I see her? Is it a her?”

“Ask your moms,” Vasquez insisted.

When they got to the door Carter paused, suddenly nervous. “Can you look to make sure Kara’s not, like, you know, breast feeding or whatever?”

Vasquez nodded, but as she opened the door, she realized that if she got a clear view of any part of Kara’s body, Cat might actually kill her. She cleared her throat and kept her gaze averted. “Ladies? You up for a gentleman caller?”

Kara smiled. “Carter?” she asked, then nodded. She held the twin with the white streak in her hair and couldn’t stop petting the discolored section.

Cat was in a recliner next to the bed. She was holding a wide-eyed baby that was looking up at her with deep blue eyes.

Carter came in and his eyes widened.

“Two?” he squeaked, looking back and forth between his mothers. “Awesome!” he whispered. He came slowly forward and looked down at the sister Cat was holding. “What’s her name?” he asked. He ran his fingers over her thick curls. “She’s so soft,” he said with a huge grin.

“About that,” Alex said from the couch where she was sitting. “All the names they had picked out have been vetoed because none of those are _twin names_.” She rolled her eyes and used air quotes on the last two words.

Carter moved to Kara’s side and his eyes widened when he saw the tuft of white hair. “Well, at least we can tell them apart,” he said with a giggle.

“Help me out here,” Alex said to him. She scooted over and lifted her arm, which Carter immediately settled under. She handed him a baby name book.

Carter flipped through the book and stopped on a section called “twin names.” He snorted and looked at Kara. “Drusilla and Priscilla?”

Kara glared, but Cat actually inhaled so sharply, it sounded like a hiss.

Alex tried her luck. “Oh, maybe Elizabeth?”

“Too on the nose,” Cat muttered. “I _am_ the Queen of all Media.”

“Beth?” Alex suggested.

Cat glared.

“Sarah!” Alex exclaimed.

“You’re just saying random names,” Carter said as he shoved Alex.

“Allison!” Alex said with a nod.

“I think Carter’s right,” Cat muttered.

“Cosima! That one for sure.” Alex insisted.

Kara leaned forward and frowned at her sister. “We are not naming my daughters after clones!”

“What clones?” Cat whispered.

“Oh!” Carter snorted. “Orphan Black,” he said and gave Alex a double thumbs up. “Cause twins are totally clones!”

“It’s a sci-fi show,” Kara said with a smile.

Carter grinned and made his own sci-fi suggestion. “How about Lucy and Leia?”

Cat glared at her son. “The science fiction aspect is not nearly as egregious and trying to name your sister after a Lane, even if it is the good one.”

Alex had been letting Kara and Cat bond with their girls, but she couldn’t wait any longer. She stood and went to Kara’s side. “Can I hold her?”

Kara nodded and handed the baby to her aunt.

Alex kissed the baby’s forehead and there were tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry you’ll never know your Aunt Astra,” she whispered. “She had a good heart, and she loved your mama so much.”

Kara, not expecting the heartfelt words, covered her mouth with both hands, trying to hold back her sobs. Cat stood and moved closer.

Alex looked up at Kara, her eyes filled with regret and grief. “Do you think her middle name could be Astra?”

Kara looked at Cat and then nodded.

Alex smiled as the baby gripped her finger. “I think you’re gonna be a little bad ass.”

Cat rolled her eyes. “Yes, well, I _am_ her mother.”

Carter studied Alex holding his sister. “What about Alexandra Astra?”

Cat smiled as she looked at Kara. “I like it.”

“Me too,” Kara agreed. “We can call her Lexi.”

“God no!” Alex said with a shiver. “Lexi sounds like a sniveling little Miss Priss. The kind of girl who would get lost in the woods and die alone. She’d get eaten by coyotes or something.”

“Ally,” Carter said.

“Now that’s a name,” Alex said. “Ally could to anything.” She looked down at her niece. “You could be a secret agent, or a lawyer like your space grandma.”

“Can I hold her?” Carter asked as he stood.

Alex scowled. “I just got her,” she whispered. “Get your own baby.”

Carter rolled his eyes and went to Cat. “Can I?”

Cat nodded and handed him his sister. “Careful, she’s heavier than she looks.”

Carter held the baby gently and he sat on the recliner so he could keep his complete focus on her. “I’m your big brother,” he whispered. “I will always take care of you.”

Kara tugged Cat’s hand. When Cat leaned closer Kara kissed her. When their lips broke apart, she whispered, “Is there a feminine form of Carter?”

Carter’s head turned. He smiled brightly. “Really?”

Cat sighed. “Not that I know of. Maybe Charlotte?” It was a name they had already considered.

“Maybe,” Kara said.

“Charlotte Alura,” Cat said with a content smile. “Now _that_ is a CEO.”

“It’s beautiful,” Kara agreed.

“Cool,” Carter said as he studied his sister. “I’m gonna’ call you Charlie!” he told her.

Cat sighed wistfully and looked at Kara. “See? Nothing to worry about, darling.”

Kara nodded. “I love you so much.”

Carter and Alex both pretended to vomit.

Ally let out a squeak and wrinkled her nose. Alex leaned closer. “As soon as you get some time in the sun, I will teach you all about your powers and help you learn to control them. Just like I did with your mama.”

Carter’s eyes widened. “Oh, my god.” He stood and went to Alex’s side. “I saw a huge bank of sunlamps when I came through.”

They both moved toward to the door.

“Freeze,” Kara ordered. “Babies back to mommies.”

Alex and Carter sighed in unison and brought the babies back. Cat took Ally, and Kara took Charlie.

Alex nodded her head toward the door. “Come on, Carter. I’ll show you a video of Kara getting her butt kicked when she first started to fly.”

“Really?” Carter asked.

“Yep. Hank tested her with live ammo,” Alex said. “One of the missiles set her first cape on fire.”

Once they were gone, Cat smiled at Kara. “They are never babysitting.”

“Ever!” Kara agreed. Charlie began to fuss. “There is no way she is already hungry,” she whispered. “She ate like twenty minutes ago!”

Cat laughed and gave Kara look of absolute pity. “Darling, that was Supper. She’s ready for Second Supper or her Midnight Snack.”

“How am I supposed to breastfeed two Kryptonians?” Kara whispered balefully. She had so not thought any of this through.

Cat kissed Kara and then Kara sighed happily. When Cat eased back and looked into her eyes, she whispered, “We will figure it out.”

“Together,” Kara said.

“Together,” Cat agreed.


End file.
